1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sanitary fixtures, and more particularly to a toilet seat mechanism that raises and lowers to enable an invalid or disabled person to more easily use a toilet.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been many devices addressing the problems encountered by an invalid or disabled person when using a toilet. Joint frailty, muscle weakness, or overall fatigue may be responsible for this.
In the past, there have been movable toilet seats that bring the toilet seat to the invalid, and then bring the two together down to the toilet. Generally, these have been variations of two solutions: movable toilet seats that raise vertically, and movable toilet seats that raise vertically and tilt forward.
For those movable toilet seats that raise vertically, users must negotiate themselves out from over the toilet. This can present problems to the user as the circumstances that led to the use of a movable toilet seat in the beginning, may also prevent them from ably removing themselves from the vertically upraised toilet seat.
Movable toilet seats that raise vertically and tilt forward result in additional problems. When a seated person has the seat tilted forward, there is a tendency for the seated person to pitch forward. While this usually presents no problems for those with adequate muscle control and coordination, for invalids, pitching forward can mean a loss of control and possible injury. Also, the invalid must keep his balance while being set on his feet. While it is often a simple matter for a person to keep his balance once it is established, a tilting toilet seat often sets the user on his feet before his balance is established. The user must then lean upon the tilting toilet seat while trying to prevent his feet from slipping out from underneath him. For invalids, this can be difficult and misjudgment or lack or coordination during this unseating process can lead to possible injury.
It is seen that while vertically elevating and/or vertically elevating and tilting movable toilet seats allow some users more convenience in using the toilet, there are still problems to be overcome and solutions to be sought. One such solution would have the toilet seat presented to the user in a manner that did not require the user to lean against the toilet seat while being seated or unseated. Instead, such a movable toilet seat would allow a stable fixture upon which the user could rely while seating himself upon the toilet seat. Once seated, the user would then be brought to the toilet by the movable seat while remaining seated. Once finished, the user would then be raised vertically and brought forward away from the toilet while remaining seated. Such a solution is embodied in the invention set forth in this patent.